Lunch at La Vespa Vista Mare — JW Marriott Panama
Tucked away on the ocean deck of the JW Marriott Panama — the striking tower that most people still call the former Trump Ocean Club — La Vespa Vista Mare is one of those restaurants you stumble into and immediately wish you'd known about sooner. With sweeping views over the Bay of Panama and a menu rooted in classic Italian technique, it turned a midday break into one of the best meals of our trip.
We started with cocktails, and mine arrived looking almost too pretty to drink — a luminous golden amber in a crystal-clear glass, rimmed with chili spice and finished with a long corkscrew citrus peel that curled elegantly over the rim. It was the perfect balance of heat, citrus, and spirit, and set the tone for everything that followed.
For the main course I went with the squid ink tagliatelle — long, darkly dramatic ribbons of pasta piled high on a slate-blue oval plate, topped with a whole grilled octopus arm, braised seafood, and dots of what tasted like a smoky romesco sauce. The pasta itself was beautifully cooked, silky and rich with the briny depth of the ink, and the char on the octopus added just the right contrast. It was genuinely one of the best pasta dishes I've had in years, and unexpected to find it executed this well in Panama City.
Dessert was a work of art. The plating alone was enough to stop conversation at the table — a beautifully composed ceramic plate with a molten chocolate lava cake, a tiramisu topped with chocolate shavings and wafer crisps, a row of delicate pink meringue kisses, and edible orange and purple flowers scattered throughout, all tied together with glossy dots of chocolate sauce. It was as delicious as it looked.
La Vespa Vista Mare earned its 4.6-star reputation. The service was attentive, the setting with the ocean just beyond the terrace was serene, and the food more than delivered. If you're staying at the JW Marriott Panama or just passing through Punta Colón, this one is absolutely worth seeking out.
